A Long Way From Home
by Sparkle731
Summary: Thirteen year old David Starsky has a hard time adjusting to his new life in Bay City. This is part of my series: Starsky, the Younger Years. Chapter 9 and 10 are posted. Story is now complete..
1. Chapter 1

**A LONG WAY FROM HOME**

**Thirteen year old David Starsky has a hard time adjusting to his new life in Bay City. This is part of my series: Starsky, the Younger Years.**

**A/N: Although I wrote a story similar to this one that is also part of this series, this one examines more closely Starsky's feelings of anger and abandonment after his father's murder. **

**CHAPTER 1**

Thirteen-year-old David Starsky stared out of the bus window as it pulled into the outskirts of Bay City California, a suburb of Los Angeles. A week ago, his mother, Rachel, had told him that she was sending him to California to live with his father's brother, Al. Most of his extended family lived in New York City but Al Starsky had fallen in love with California when he was stationed there while he was in the Army and had decided to settle there when his enlistment was up. David barely knew his Uncle and his wife, Rosie. He had only met them twice, once when they returned to New York for a visit during the holidays and then again last summer when they had returned for his father's funeral.

Despite his angry protests and tears, his mother had stood firm. Since his father's untimely death almost a year ago, David had been sneaking out, running with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble. When he was seriously injured in a fight with a rival gang, she had made the heartbreaking decision to send him almost three thousand miles away from home. No amount of threats or promises on his part could convince her to change her mind.

David turned away from the window and tried not to think about New York. He was already desperately homesick for the only home that he had ever known. He even missed his pesky little brother, Nicky, who could be a real pain in the ass most of the time. He silently vowed not to trust anyone while he was here because he didn't plan on staying in this place any longer than necessary. This strange city would never be his home.

The bus jerked to a halt as it pulled into the crowded downtown terminal. David remained in his seat until the other passengers had gotten off before rising to his feet and walking down the aisle. As he climbed down the bus steps, he immediately saw his Uncle Al waiting for him near the main entrance to the building. A lump rose in his throat as he realized how much his Uncle reminded him of his father. They both had the same lean build, dark curly hair and striking blue eyes, traits that David himself had inherited. But while Al's family resemblance was only superficial, everyone insisted that David was the mirror image of Michael Starsky.

Al smiled as he hurried forward to greet his young nephew. When Rachel had called him and Rosie about taking in David before he got into serious trouble back in New York, they had readily agreed. After all, the troubled young boy had been through a lot in the past year. Al and Rosie had never been blessed with children of their own and Rosie, in particular, was looking forward to the task of being a surrogate mother to David.

If the dark scowl on David's face was any indication of what lay in store, this might be more of a challenge than they realized. Thirteen was a difficult age for any boy but even worse for one who had not only lost his father but had also been uprooted from the rest of his immediate family to be shipped three thousand miles away to live with relatives he barely knew.

"Hi, Davey." Al said warmly, dropping his arm around his nephew's slender shoulders. "How was the trip?"

"My name is David." he said sullenly, rejecting the childhood name that his father had favored. He discreetly pulled away from his Uncle's embrace and took a step backwards. The message was sent and received, loud and clear. Hands off.

"Let's get your stuff." Al said, pretending not to notice his nephew's defensive stance. He turned to the area where the bus driver was busy unloading the passenger's luggage from underneath the bus. David walked over and picked up a single brown suitcase. His mother had told him that she would send the rest of his things within a few days.

"This is it." David said flatly. "Ma said she'd send the rest."

"Good. Are you hungry? Thirsty? We could get something before we head back to the house." Al suggested, trying to make the best of an awkward situation.

"No, I'm good." David told him, even though his stomach growled in protest and his mouth was parched. He'd spent the last of the money his mother had given him early that morning when they had a three hour layover somewhere in Nevada.

Al led the way out of the busy downtown bus terminal to a parking lot across the street where he paused beside a tan colored sedan with dealer's plates and unlocked the door on the driver's side. He slid in underneath the wheel and leaned over to unlock the other door. "Just toss your bag in the back." he instructed as David climbed into the front seat beside him. Since Al owned and operated his own garage and used car lot, he had his choice of a variety of vehicles to use for his own personal use.

David slouched in the seat and turned his head to stare out the window, effectively discouraging any further conversation. Al pulled into the flow of traffic, heading for his home in the suburbs. David's eyes swept over his new environment, taking in the swaying palm trees, the glare of the mid-day sun on the pavement, and the tanned, blondes walking down the street with their long legs and short skirts. He already felt like an outsider with his olive toned complexion, dark hair and heavy New York accent. Even his clothing, faded denim jeans with a hole in one knee and a tee shirt, seemed out of place here.

Thirty minutes later, Al turned onto a tree lined street in a lower middle class neighborhood. Younger children played in the yards under the watchful eye of their mothers and traffic at that time of day was minimal. Al pulled into a one-story ranch style house with a small front yard and a detached garage. As he parked in the driveway, the front door opened and his wife, Rosie, came out to greet them. She was a much younger woman with short, dark blond hair, stylishly cut in layers that framed her attractive face.

"David!" she greeted her nephew enthusiastically "It's so good to see you again!"

She wrapped the boy in a smothering hug that embarrassed David and made him uncomfortable at the same time. Since his father's murder, the normally affectionate boy had shied away from physical contact from anyone.

Sensing his nephew's discomfort, his uncle said quietly,

"For Pete's sake, Rose…let the boy breath."

Rosie Starsky laughed as she released her young nephew and said,

"Let's go in the house. Al can show you to your room while I finish making us all a snack."

David slowly followed them into the house. It was an older home but well taken care of, the furnishings nice and comfortable but not new. The rooms were larger than David was accustomed too and the house was not as cluttered. Al led him down a short hallway to the left of the front door and opened the door at the far end. "Here's your room, David. Rosie and I are just down the hall. Why don't you go ahead and settle in while I go and see what Rosie is whipping up in the kitchen?" With those parting words, he closed the bedroom door leaving David alone in his new room.

David looked around, feeling uneasy with so much space to himself. Back home, he had shared a bedroom with his eight-year-old brother. It felt strange to finally have a room to himself. He sat his suitcase on the double bed sitting in the middle of the room and popped open the latches. It didn't take long to hang up the few shirts he had brought with him and to neatly fold his jeans away in the tiny dresser sitting along one wall.

From the bottom of his suitcase, he took out two framed pictures that he carefully sat on the nightstand beside the bed. One was a family picture with his parents and his brother that had been taken just a few weeks before his father's murder. The second photograph was of a five-year-old David standing proudly next to his father who was dressed in his policeman's uniform with his hat perched on his young son's head. David blinked back the sting of tears that suddenly welled up in his dark eyes. Since his father's murder, gunned down in front of his sons in his own driveway, David had held his grief close, never letting anyone see just how much he was hurting inside. He missed his father desperately and now he had lost his mother and his brother too. He was a very angry and distrustful adolescent who was trying too hard to be a man.

David wandered over to the window that overlooked the street and glanced outside. Used to the crowded, dirty streets of New York City, this neighborhood seemed totally foreign to his eyes. He knew that he would never fit in or feel at home here. His thoughts were interrupted by a light tap on the bedroom door. He turned as Al stuck his head into the room and said, "Come on out to the kitchen, David. Rosie has some cookies and lemonade to tide us over until supper."

A reluctant David followed his Uncle back down the hall and into the small, homey kitchen with its hardwood floor and yellow walls. A tall pitcher of lemonade sat on the table along with a batch of cookies on a platter. David accepted a glass of lemonade and a handful of cookies. As he bit into one of the cookies, which was obviously store bought, he found himself yearning for one of his mother's delicious home baked cookies that she used to have waiting for him when he got home from school. He took a sip of the lemonade and immediately sat the glass back on the table. It was much too tart for his taste.

When the telephone rang and Rosie's left the room to answer it, Al winked at his nephew and whispered, "Bless her heart, she tries her best…but I'm afraid that my Rosie isn't a very good cook. But, don't ever let on that I told you that."

David finished his cookies without comment. His mother had been an excellent cook, just another thing he knew that he was going to miss living here. "Can I go back to my room now?" he asked.

"Of course." Al said "You don't have to ask for permission. This is your home now too. We can talk more later about the house rules and your list of chores." He watched as his unhappy nephew walked away. He knew that this was going to be a difficult adjustment for the teenager and, it was apparent, that young David was going to fight it all the way. He sighed heavily and tried to think of a way to get past the barrier that the boy had built around his emotions.

Rose finished her phone call and came back into the kitchen. Noticing that her nephew was gone, she looked at her husband and said, "This isn't going to be easy for him, is it?"

"No, I'm afraid not. He's angry with the whole world right now and everybody in it." Al said, slipping an arm around his wife's slender waist. "Especially Rachel for sending him out here."

"She only did what was best for him." Rosie pointed out "If he had stayed in New York, those boys could have gotten him killed the next time or gotten him into even worse trouble."

"I know. Just give him some time…this is a lot for him to deal with all at once." Al smiled gently. "You can't expect him to change overnight."

"I just feel so bad for him." Rosie said compassionately "First his father and now this. No wonder he's so angry."

"Just don't go overboard trying to mother him. He's not going to let you take Rachel's place, even if he is mad at her right now." Al said as he gave Rosie a kiss on the cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

David hesitated as he climbed the steps to his new school. Like everything else in this town, it didn't even resemble his old school building back home. This building was low and flat, spreading out over the landscape all in one level instead of the four-story building that he was accustomed to. Students swarmed around him, laughing and ignoring the stranger as they sought out their friends. A few of them cast a curious glance in his direction and then went about their own business, the expression on David's face enough to keep them from speaking to him. He might as well have had a _No Trespassing_ sign on his chest in big red letters.

His aunt told him that she had already contacted the school and registered him for his classes, all he had to do was stop by the office to pick up his schedule and locker assignment. The office was clearly marked just inside the main entrance to the building. As David walked in, a woman behind the counter looked at him and said in a harried voice, "May I help you, young man?"

"My name is David Starsky and I'm supposed to start school here today." David told her in his distinctive New York accent.

"Oh, yes…your mother was in here last week and got you registered."

"My Aunt." David corrected her sharply, resenting the fact that she had mistaken Rosie for his mother. She wasn't his mother and she never would be.

"Of course. I'm sorry." the woman said, not really sounding very apologetic for her error. She sorted through some papers on the counter in front of her and said, "Here we are. David Starsky. I see you're moving here from New York. Welcome to Bay City."

She handed him several sheets of paper, adding, "Your class schedule is on top and the rest of that stuff is your student handbook and a map of the building."

"Thanks." David mumbled, turning to leave so that he could find his first period classroom. He strolled down the hall, trying not to look too out of place, in spite of the tight knot of fear in the pit of his belly. This was the first time he'd had to start over at a different school and he clearly remembered how he and his friends had always teased the new kids back at his old school. If anyone here tried that with him, they'd have a fight on their hands. Over the past year, David had gotten good at using his fists and he wasn't afraid to take on anyone, not even someone a lot bigger than he was.

He finally found his class room and went inside, feeling awkward and embarrassed when the other kids stopped talking to stare at him. The teacher smiled warmly and said, "You must be our new student. David, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am." David told her, remembering his manners and answering politely.

"Class," she said, addressing the other students "This is David Starky and he just moved here from New York."

"It's Starsky." David corrected her automatically. He was accustomed to people pronouncing his last name wrong but it still annoyed him when they did.

"I'm sorry, David." the teacher told him "Class, this is David Starsky." She corrected herself, then she turned to smile at David again. "Just take any empty seat you can find, David."

David automatically chose a seat in the back corner of the room and slumped down at the desk. He glared at the two boys sitting beside him as they bent over and started whispering to each other, stealing furtive glances at their new classmate. One of the boys looked embarrassed at being caught but the other boy glared back at David in a daring confrontation. David maintained eye contact, not looking away until the other boy did. One thing he had learned quickly on the streets of New York was to never back down from a challenge.

His first class of the day was English, a subject that David didn't particularly like, although he did like to read. The next class was math, a subject that he did like and did well at. It was followed by a study hall and then his lunch period. After lunch, he had history, followed by gym or health class depending on the day, and then his last class of the day was shop. Naturally athletic, he liked gym class and, since he liked working with his hands, he was good at shop class too. History was another class he didn't care for. He didn't see any sense in learning about things that had happened before he was even born.

For the most part, the other students left him alone, although a few did make an attempt to be friendly. Some of the braver boys made fun of his east coast accent until he belligerently told one of them to "Shut the fuck up.", which immediately earned him detention for an hour after school for cussing when a teacher overheard him.

The detention was basically just another study hall, overseen by a older male teacher with a pot belly that hung over his belt and thick glasses that he wore perched on the end of his nose. David spent the hour daydreaming and wishing that he was back in New York.

When he got home from school, Rosie met him at the door, a worried expression on her face. "You're late." she said in a mildly scolding tone. "I thought you got lost on your way home until someone from the school called and told me that you had a detention…and on your first day, no less."

"It's no big deal." David told her sullenly. "I just told some kid to fuck off for making fun of the way I talk."

"David Michael Starsky!" Rosie exclaimed in a disapproving voice. "We do not use that kind of language in this house. I'm sure that Rachel would wash your mouth out with soap if she heard you say something like that."

"Yeah? Well, she isn't here, is she?" David said with a sneer as he headed back the hallway to his room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving his bewildered aunt to stare after his retreating figure.

David threw himself down on his bed and began to beat his fists into the pillow to work off some of his pent up anger and frustration. He hated it here! He wanted to go home. His mother sending him away had cut deeply, his feelings of rejection and abandonment almost overwhelming. A single tear rolled down his face before he angrily brushed it away. He wouldn't let them see him cry. He'd never let them see him cry.

He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, he heard a light tapping sound and his uncle's voice called through the closed door, "David, you need to come to the table for supper."

Shoving himself off the bed without answering, he walked over to the door and opened it, brushing past his uncle without a word. Al trailed behind him as they walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Unlike David and his father, Al was right handed, so David automatically sat on his uncle's left side so that they wouldn't bump elbows as they ate.

Rosie had fixed some sort of casserole with macaroni and chicken that was scorched on top. Even the rolls were burned. Al hadn't been exaggerating when he said that Rosie wasn't a very good cook. But, David could eat just about anything, a fact that used to astonish his mother, especially when she had caught him eating a worm one day simply because Nicky had dared him to. At least Rosie had given David milk to drink with his meal instead of her tart tasting lemonade.

After they had eaten, Al told David to help him clear the table and wash the dishes, while Rosie went into the living room to relax and watch television. As David gathered up the dishes, his uncle said in a quiet voice, "Rosie told me that you had to stay after school today. You wanna tell me what happened?"

"I told some kid to fuck off because he was teasing me about the way I talk." David said defensively.

"That would make me mad too but there must have been a better way to handle it instead of telling him that." Al said reasonably.

"Yeah, I could have punched him." David said with a defiant tilt to his chin. "He's just lucky that I didn't."

"And what good would that have done except to get you into even more trouble?"

"It would have made me feel better and it would have shut him up." David declared.

"Maybe so, but I will not tolerate fighting or cussing as long as you're living in this house. Do you understand?" When David didn't immediately reply, he repeated himself, a bit more firmly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." David mumbled.

"Good. I won't punish you this time but I will if it happens again. Agreed?" David nodded without answering and without looking at his uncle. "I think we need to go over some rules, don't you?"

"I guess." David said without much enthusiasm or interest, as he put the dishes in the sink and started to wipe down the table.

"All right…you are to come straight home from school everyday and do your homework before you watch TV or go outside to hang out with your friends. I also expect you to take out the trash on Fridays and help do the dishes every night after supper. You will also keep your room clean and mow the yard on Saturdays. And if you do go out, you are to be in this house by nine o'clock on school nights and ten on the weekends unless you have permission to stay out later."

"Whatever…" David muttered. The rules here were similar to the ones that his mother had given him and Nicky. He could live with them if he had to. He still didn't intend to be here that long. He was positive that, given enough time, he could convince his mother to let him come back home.

"One more thing," Al told him "If you get into trouble, you will be grounded to your room unless you do something really serious and then I will use a belt on you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." David said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. His father had used the same punishments and David had received more than his share of spankings because of his natural tendency to get into trouble. They finished the kitchen chores in silence and then David retreated to the safe haven of his room.

Walking over to his nightstand, he opened the top drawer and took out a tiny box tied with a red ribbon. Untying the bow, he opened the box and took out the two rings nestled inside in a bed of tissue paper. He closed his fingers around them and closed his eyes. The rings had belonged to his father. One, a simple gold band was delicately inscribed with the Hebrew symbols for his name, Michael David Starsky, and had been given to him on his thirteenth birthday. The second ring was silver and made up of an intricate interlocking design. His mother had had that ring made for his father as a wedding present and he had always worn them on his left pinky. Now they belonged to David. They were still too big for his finger but, someday he would wear them proudly in memory of his father.

Opening his eyes, he sighed and carefully put the rings back in the box, hiding it away in the drawer. His mother had given him the rings just as he was getting on board the bus that would take him so far away from home and he cherished them. He blinked back the tears that gathered in his eyes. He just wanted to go home.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

David sat on the bench in the office waiting for the principal to call him into the office. He had only been in school for a little over a week and was already in trouble for fighting with another student in the cafeteria during lunch. Smaller, but faster than the other boy, David had busted his lip and given him a black eye. David had walked away from the fight with no injuries other than some bruised knuckles.

David glanced up as the door to the other room opened and the principal, a tall stern looking man with steel gray hair and a mustache, looked at him sternly. "David Starsky?" he said gruffly "Come into my office." David stood up and sauntered into the office, holding his head high and ready to take his punishment like a man. "Have a seat." Principal O'Dell ordered, motioning to a straight backed chair in front of his desk. As David did as he was told, the principal looked at him sternly and said, "I've heard from the other students and the teacher what happened in the lunch room but I'd like to hear your version of the events."

"He called me a kike." David said, a derogatory term used to describe his Jewish heritage. "And said that I didn't belong here. He told me that I should go back to New York where I belonged."

"I don't condone what the other student said. We have a zero tolerance for racial slurs in this school and he will be dealt with accordingly. But, we also have a zero tolerance for violence and will not tolerate fighting with another student, no matter what your reasons." he paused for effect and then continued, "I've already called your Uncle. He agreed that the best course of action was to suspend you from school for three days and he will handle the rest of your punishment when you get home."

"Terrific." David muttered a bit sullenly. "May I go now?"

"Not just yet." Principal O'Dell said, his voice softening "David, I've read your file and I know what happened to your father. I also know why you were sent here. But, violence is never an answer for anything. You have to learn to control your temper. You can't let this anger build up inside of you like this. You need to find someone you trust that you can talk to."

"I don't need anybody to talk to." David said, rising to his feet. "I can take care of myself just fine." With those parting words, he turned and walked out the door.

Principal O'Dell sighed. He knew that he had failed to get through to David. There was just too much anger there. He hoped that the teenager found a positive outlet for that anger before it spilled out of control and he ended up in real trouble.

David left the office and the school building, still seething over the Principal's suggestion that he needed to talk to someone about his temper. He knew that he had a quick temper; he had inherited it from his father. He had always been able to control it until his father was killed and then it had spiraled out of control. Talking about the rage that boiled deep inside of him meant talking about his innermost feelings about his father's murder and he wasn't about to do that. Not with anyone. He barely acknowledged those feelings himself because they were too painful. They were also closely intertwined with his feelings of rejection and abandonment by his mother.

David walked slowly home, knowing that more severe punishment waited for him when he arrived. He didn't care. He was tired of being called names and he wouldn't tolerate anyone demeaning his heritage. His mother and father had instilled in him a fierce pride for his Jewish background. Both of his grandfathers had died in the camps during the holocaust and his surviving grandmother had always worn long sleeves to hide the hated tattoo on her forearm.

Neither of his parents had been fundamentalists when it came to their religion but they had observed the high holy days and his mother had made sure that David and Nicky both attended Synagogue with her whenever she went. David had his Bar Mitzvah shortly before his father died. He had studied with his local rabbi for weeks to make sure that he had the correct pronunciation of the prayers that he had recited that day in ancient Hebrew as part of the ceremony.

David knew that Al was no longer a practicing Jew and that Rosie wasn't even Jewish, she was a Catholic. According to his mother, it had caused a minor scandal in the Starsky clan when Al had announced that he was marrying her. To pacify both sides of the families, they had gotten married in two different ceremonies; one in the Catholic Church and then a traditional orthodox one in the temple.

Lost in his own thoughts, David barely noticed as he turned onto his aunt and uncle's street until he saw Al standing in the front yard waiting for him. Dragging his steps he approached his uncle. Before he could say a word, Al motioned towards the detached garage. As they stepped inside, Al hit the button to close the garage door and then turned to David.

"Let's get this over this and then we'll talk." Al said sternly. "Turn around and put your hands on the workbench."

Gritting his teeth, David did as he was told. He could hear Al fumbling with his thick leather belt. There was a slight swishing sound and then a resounding crack as the belt landed across David's backside. It hurt like hell but David never flinched or made a sound, not until the sixth swat, and then he finally let out a small whimper. After ten swats, his uncle stopped and put his hand on David's arm to help him straighten up. Tears glistened in his eyes but did not fall.

"I'm sorry I had to do that." his uncle told him "But I told you there would be no fighting as long as you lived in this house. You're also grounded to your room for the next two weeks. And for the next three days while you're suspended you'll be coming to work with me at the garage."

"Yes, sir." David said meekly, his pride and his butt both smarting from his punishment.

"You can't go through life using your fists to solve things whenever someone makes you mad or calls you names. You can't change who you are, David, and there are always going to be people out there who will judge you because of your religion and your beliefs. You have to learn to be the better man and walk away." he patted his nephew on the shoulder fondly and then said, "Go wash up." Now that he had done his duty and doled out David's punishment, along with a lecture, all was forgiven. "I'm ordering pizza for supper tonight."

David hid a smile as he walked over to raise the garage door so he could go into the house. Pizza was a forbidden treat that his parents had never allowed him or Nicky to have. Al ordered it at least once a week and it hadn't taken David long to decide that he loved the rich, cheesy pie with all the various toppings. He was quickly developing a taste for the all the junk foods that his mother would never let him eat. Since Rosie wasn't that much of a cook, it wasn't unusual for Al to bring home bags of hamburgers with French fries or something else equally appetizing from one of the other takeout restaurants near his midtown garage.

Before leaving the garage, he looked back at his uncle and asked seriously, "Is that why you don't practice Judaism anymore?"

"No," Al told him, momentarily taken back by the question but deciding to answer it honestly. "That's a personal choice I made a long time ago. You'll understand that when you're older. But, that still doesn't change who I am or where I came from and I'm proud of my heritage. You should be too."

"I am." David said "I just don't understand why some people act like they hate us because of it."

"Ignorance…it's nothing but ignorance, son." Al told him as he fell in by David's side and they walked into the house together.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

"David," Rosie called "Your mother is on the phone."

David jumped to his feet and went into the living room, picking up the phone that Rosie had laid on the end table.

"Hey, Ma…" he mumbled into the receiver. His mother called faithfully every Friday night at eight o'clock. Sometimes David talked to her and sometimes he refused. The simple sound of her voice was enough to bring the tears to his eyes. He had been in Bay City for a month and was still desperately homesick. Things had not improved much. He was still in trouble at school and had made no friends to speak of. He was lonely and kept to himself. He did not fit in at his new school, this neighborhood or this city.

"How are you, baby?" Rachel asked her eldest son, immediately picking up on the tone in his voice. She knew how unhappy he was and she missed him terribly, but she knew she had done the best thing for him by sending him away. Someday, he would realize that.

"Same old shit." David muttered, knowing that his mother would object to his language but not caring.

"David Michael!" Rachel scolded him "You know that I don't like for you to use that kind of language."

"Yeah…well, you're not here, are you?"

"Honey, please…let's not get into that again. You know you can't come back home right now."

"Why not?" David insisted "I don't like it here. I want to come home."

"Davey, you have to give it some time and try to fit in." his mother said in a pleading tone.

"Why?" he demanded, dangerously close to tears. His fingers clutched the receiver so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Because that's your home now."

"NO, IT ISN'T! THIS WILL NEVER BE MY HOME!" David said, raising his voice in anger. Every time he begged to come home and his mother refused, their conversation quickly dissolved into another argument. "YOU JUST DON'T WANT ME ANYMORE!"  
"David, you know that's not true!" Rachel insisted in a strained voice, trying to remain calm and not let her son know just how much his words hurt her.

"YES, IT IS! THAT'S WHY YOU SENT ME AWAY! THAT'S WHY YOU WON'T LET ME COME HOME!" David insisted, too angry to listen to reason.

"David, please…" Rachel started, only to be cut off when David slammed down the receiver. Running back to his room, he slammed the door and threw himself face down on the bed, burying his face in the pillow to muffle the sound of his sobs.

Unknown to him, Rosie stood outside his bedroom door, listening and trying to hold back her own tears. She knew that he was unhappy but he wouldn't let her or Al do anything to ease his misery. Down deep, he was a good kid, she knew that but too much had happened to him in too short a period of time and he just couldn't handle the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He was surprisingly mature for his age. He didn't need a surrogate mother, he needed his own mother, and he desperately needed someone he could trust, someone he could open up to. Rachel immediately thought about a former neighbor, a cop like David's father, John Blaine. Maybe he would be willing to help the troubled teenager.

Rosie slipped back into the living room and picked up the phone. She dialed John's number, waiting patiently for someone to pick up. A moment later, Maggie Blaine's voice came over the line.

"Hello?"

"Maggie? It's Rosie Starsky. Is John there?"

"No, he's still at work. Can I have him call you when he gets home?"

"Would you please? I need to talk to him about my nephew, David."

"Is that the boy from New York that's living with you?"

"Yes. He's so angry and unhappy. I don't know what to do to help him. I know that John has worked with some other troubled teens and I thought maybe he could help David." Rosie explained.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to." Maggie said "I'll have him call you as soon as he gets here."

"Thank you, Maggie. I'd really appreciate that." Rosie said, hanging up the phone and returning to her household chores.

John Blaine returned her call after supper. When Rosie answered the phone, he said warmly,

"Rosie? It's John Blaine. Maggie said you called and needed to talk to me about your nephew."

"Yes, thank you so much for calling me back." Rosie said gratefully. "You know that Al's nephew, David, came to live with us a few weeks ago?"

"Yes, and I take it that things aren't going very well." John said perceptively.

"No, I'm afraid not." Rosie admitted "He's so angry…he acts like he hates everybody."

"He probably does right now. Didn't you tell me that his father was a cop and that he was killed?"

"Yes. Last year. He had just gotten home when somebody drove by and shot him in front of both boys. He died in David's arms before the ambulance got there."

"And David and his father were close?"

"Very close. David idolized his father."

"What happened after his father was killed?"

"David started shutting everybody out according to his mother. Then he started sneaking out of the house, hanging out with the wrong crowd and got involved with a local street gang." Rosie explained, repeating the story as Rachel had told it to them in her frantic phone call a few months ago. "There was some kind of fight with another gang and David got thrown off a roof, after being badly beaten by the other boys. He could have been killed. That's when Rachael called us and begged us to take him before something worse happened to him."

"Did she ever try explaining to David why she was sending him away?" John asked

"Yes, but he was too angry to listen. He thinks she sent him away because she didn't want him anymore."

"So he feels rejected and abandoned by his mother."

"Yes. She calls every Friday night. Sometimes David talks to her and sometimes he doesn't. When he does, they end up arguing because he begs her to let him come home and she has to tell him no."

"Is he still getting in trouble?"

"All the time at school. He'd only been there a few days when he was suspended for fighting with another boy. He's cussed out the teachers and walked out of classes…and when he's home, he spends most of his time locked in his room. I don't think he's made any friends since he's been here." Rosie told him, grateful to have someone else to talk to who was willing to listen.

"It sounds like you and Al have your hands full. How can I help?"

"Talk to him? Maybe he'll listen to you since you're a cop like Michael was."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll give it a shot." John agreed. "How does Al feel about all this?"

"He's trying…he even has David helping out at the garage after school and on the weekends. He seems to like working on cars."

"Well, that's a start. How about I stop by this weekend and we'll see how things go?" John suggested

"That would be great. Thank you, John."

"Anytime. It's the least I can do…maybe we can get him turned around before things get too out of hand."

Rosie hung up the phone and glanced down the hallway towards her nephew's room. She sincerely hoped that she was doing the right thing by asking John Blaine for his help with David. Something had to change soon or David could be lost to them forever.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

The tall, thin black boy watched the white boy with the dark curls shooting hoops by himself. The kid had some good moves for a honky. When he missed a shot and the ball rolled in his direction, he reached out and stopped its forward movement with his foot.

"You shoot pretty good for a white boy." the negro said with a toothy smile.

"Better than you I bet." the other boy shot back with a cocky smile. "Bet you five bucks I can make more baskets then you can in ten shots."

"You're on, my white brother."

For the next ten minutes, the two boys played ball, trying to block each other's shots as they tried to score. Ten shots later, the brunet emerged the winner with nine baskets out of ten, while the black boy had scored eight out of ten. They were relaxed and comfortable with each other, instinctively recognizing a kindred spirit when they saw one.

"Good game." the black boy said with a grin as he dug a crumbled five dollar bill out of his pocket and handed to the other boy. "By the way, my name's Huggy Bear."

"Huggy Bear, huh?" David said with a chuckle. "Suits you. My name's Dave. Dave Starsky."

"Where'd you learn to play like that?"

"Back home." Starsky told him. "I used to play one and one with my dad all the time."

"I knew you weren't from around here, not talking like that." Huggy said with a chuckle of his own.

"What's wrong with the way I talk?" David asked, immediately defensive about his New York accent.

"Hey, man…chill out. I just meant that it was easy to tell that you weren't from California with that accent."

"Sorry," David said apologetically. "I just get tired of people making fun of the way I talk."

How long have you been out here?" Huggy asked as they walked over to a nearby water fountain to get a drink.

"Why? What's it to you?"

"Ain't nothing to me…but the longer you're out here, the less noticeable that accent will become." Huggy said patiently, undaunted by his new friend's attitude. "I don't plan on being here that long." David said in a fiercely determined voice. "I'm going back home soon."

"You don't say. So, what are you doing out here in the first place?"

"My Ma sent me out here cause I was getting into too much trouble back home." David said. He didn't bother to curb the anger in his voice. "But, she's going to let me come home." his tone turned wistful as he spoke about his longing to go home. Although he had just met the black youth and didn't really know him, he already felt as if they were friends. He hadn't made any real friends since he'd moved to Bay City but, he hadn't really gone out of his way to try and make any either. He'd met plenty of girls who were instantly attracted to his brash, cocky attitude and the confident strut in his step, but he didn't get along with most of the boys his own age. He felt as if he had already lived a lifetime while they were still playing at being grown up.

"So, you wanna play again tomorrow? Give me a chance to win my money back?" Huggy asked with a tooth grin.

"Maybe," David said without committing himself. "Hey, how are you at any good at pool?"

"Why?" Huggy asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You trying to run a con on me again?"

"Me?" David said with a deceptively innocent look. "Never." He burst out in laughter, unable to contain his amusement at the scowl on Huggy's face. He wasn't sure how his aunt and uncle would react to his new friend because he was black, but he honestly didn't care. It just felt good to be able to have someone to hang around with instead of being alone all the time. Maybe it was because of his own Jewish background that set him apart from the kids at his new school, but David had always been color blind when it came to the shade of someone else's skin. Black, green or yellow. He didn't care as long as they were loyal and trustworthy, accepting the brunet for who he was. Nothing more, nothing less. Somehow, he sensed that Huggy Bear had all of those qualities.

He wondered about the nickname, but back home everybody on the streets had a nickname that they went by. They were seldom called by their given names except by their families. Most of his friends had called him, Curly, because of his thick, dark curls that seemed to have mind of their own most of the time. He could never get his hair to lay flat unless he cut it short and he hated wearing it that way. That was another thing that made him stand out in his new school where any boy with hair longer than the norm was automatically labeled a troublemaker or a hood. But, he to admit that the girls he had met sure loved running their fingers through his riotous curls.

As they parted ways, Huggy and David made plans to meet the next afternoon after school at a local pool hall that didn't mind if minors hung around inside as long as they didn't cause any trouble. A product of the streets, like David, Huggy knew all the places to go and hang out, as well as the best places to eat and where to buy cigarettes even if you were underage. He proudly informed David that one of his numerous Uncles (his family seemed to be almost as extended as the Starsky clan) owned one of the best restaurants in town. Huggy worked there on the weekends for extra cash and was learning the business so he could buy his own place someday.

David hurried home, not wanting to be late. He had just gotten ungrounded two days ago after spending a week in the house for not doing his chores and for getting 2 F's on his first report card. Al was a strict disciplinarian, just like Pop had been, while Rosie was more laid back and easy going. But, like Pop, Al's punishments were fair, tempered with love and understanding.

Rosie was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on supper when he walked in. The only thing that she seemed to be able to cook, and cook well, was fried chicken which was what they were having that night. She was also making elaborate plans for the upcoming holidays, including Christmas. Since David was Jewish, his family had never celebrated that orthodox Christian holiday and it was something David was looking forward to. He hoped to get a new bicycle since he had to leave his old one back in New York. Al had already promised to help him fix up an old clunker when he turned sixteen and got his license but he had no intentions of still being in Bay City when he was sixteen. By then, he would be back in Brooklyn where he belonged.

"You look like you're in a good mood." Rosie commented as David slyly stole two cookies from the jar on the table. She pretended not to notice. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah. I met a guy named Huggy and we're going to get together tomorrow and hang out." He told his aunt. "But I'll be home in time to do my chores." He quickly amended.

"Huggy? That's an odd name." Rosie said, her mind more on the chicken she was frying then their conversation.

"It's his nickname." David said, hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions about his new friend.

"I'm glad to see you're finally making some new friends." Rosie said "You'll have to invite him over for supper some night." David nodded. Out here, they had different names for a lot of things. Ma had always called the evening meal dinner but Rosie insisted on calling it supper. It had confused David at first until Al explained that they were cultural and regional differences between the east and west coasts.

The one thing that he had no trouble getting using to was the sunshine and warm weather. He had always hated the bitterly cold New York winters with the piles of gray slush instead of snow on the streets. On the first heavy snowfall of the season, it was a tradition for David and Pop to make a huge snowman that they decorated with castoffs that Rachel had saved for the occasion. The newly fallen snow never stayed white and fluffy for long. Soon it was as gray and dirty as the rest of the snow in the city. But, for one brief shining moment, it was pure and pristine. That was just one of the memories that David cherished of his Pop and their brief time together.

Nobody, except maybe his mother, truly understood the depth of David's grief. Although Michael Starsky had loved both of his sons as only a father can, he had shared a special bond with his eldest child. For over four years, David had been the center of his parent's world. When he was born, the doctors had told Rachel that it was unlikely that she would be able to have another child, so they had focused all their attention on their first born. Then Nicky came along, surprising everyone and leaving David feeling left out by everyone but Pop, who went out of his way to make sure that his eldest son knew that he was still loved unconditionally. Since the baby demanded most of Rachel's attention, David spent even more time with his father and their bond grew unbreakable. It was a bond that even his murder could not break.

While supper was cooking, David took a shower and changed clothes since he was sweaty and hot from playing basketball. When Al came home from work, David helped carry in the bags of groceries his uncle had bought for the barbeque they were having that weekend. Hamburgers and hotdogs were quickly becoming a staple in the Starsky household.

After supper, David watched television with his aunt until it was time to go to bed while Al catnapped in his easy chair. David said goodnight to his aunt shortly after ten and went to his room. Stripping down to his briefs and a tee shirt, he crawled into bed, rolling over on his side so he could look out the window at the darkness. The street light on the corner threw off enough to cast a soft glow into the room, while leaving the corners draped in shadows.

It was this time of night, alone in the solitude of his room, that David let the tears he refused to shed during the daytime fall slowly down his face. He drifted into sleep thinking about his mother and the home he had been forced to leave behind. The pain of losing his father and, what he saw as his mother's rejection, still hurt the young adolescent deeply. He was becoming an expert at keeping his true feelings to himself, hiding behind a cocky attitude and a crooked smile. Brick by brick, he was steadily building a wall around his emotions to protect his heart from any more abuse. A part of him had died along with his father that day, leaving behind an empty shell with no direction, incapable of feeling any emotion except for the anger burning deep inside.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

John Blaine sipped his lemonade and watched Al and Rose Starsky's young charge from the corner of his eye. The adolescent had acknowledged their introduction politely enough but John had sensed a rebellious nature lurking beneath the crooked smile and the guarded eyes. He had seen far too many young boys like David Starsky during his years on the police force, boys who were so filled with anger at everything and everyone around them. Without an appropriate outlet for that anger, sooner or later it would spill over into activity that would land them in juvenile hall.

John already knew from an earlier conversation with Al that the boy had been sent to live with them because he was getting heavily involved with a local street gang back in New York. After he had been severely beaten and thrown off a roof by some rival gang members, his mother had sent him to Bay City to try and protect him from his own self destructive behavior. The move had only fueled his anger, leaving him feeling betrayed and abandoned by his mother. John had helped other boys like David in the past but, somehow, he sensed that David Starsky would be his biggest challenge.

Rosie and Al had invited several other neighbors, along with John and his wife, so David wouldn't realize that the barbeque was just an excuse to get the two of them together. Bored with the company of the adults, David had fixed himself a huge plate of food and found a cool spot underneath a tree in the back yard to eat.

Despite his relaxed stance and nonchalant attitude, John noticed that the teenager's eyes were constantly surveying his surroundings, much like a cop…or a criminal. He watched warily as John strolled over to where he was sitting and leaned casually against the side of the tree.

"Nice spread." John said with a warm smile.

"Yeah, I guess." David said, avoiding John's eyes as he continued to eat. His tone was cool; deliberately discouraging any further conversation but John was not easily put off.

"How do you like Bay City?" David shrugged without replying and continued to ignore John. "Al told me that your dad was a cop. I'm sorry to hear about him getting killed."

"Why?" David said, a hint of anger creeping into his voice. "You didn't know him."

"Maybe because I'm a cop too. I may not have known your dad but he was still a cop and that makes him part of the brotherhood."

"So what? Am I supposed to buddy up to you now because you're a cop?" David said with a sneer. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Did my uncle put you up to this?"

"Nobody put me up to anything." John said lightly. "I just thought maybe you'd like to do something sometime…maybe go camping, do some fishing…"

"You've gotta be kidding." David said with a smirk. "No thanks…snakes, bears, bugs…you can keep it. I ain't sleeping outside for anybody."

"Okay…then how about a ball game?"

"For real?" David said, showing the first spark of interest in the conversation. "My dad used to take me to see the Dodgers whenever he didn't have to work."

"Sure, why not? I've got season tickets, so we can go anytime you feel like it. How about this weekend?"

David hesitated, apparently thinking over the offer. Finally, he said, "Okay…I guess I could go with you." He glanced at John through thick dark lashes and added, "But I want a hotdog and a soda…popcorn too."

"You got…all you want." John said with a grin. "I'll pick you up Saturday morning around nine-thirty."

"Whatever…" David said, dismissing him with a shrug of his shoulders.

Not wanting to tempt fate, John nodded briskly and walked away to rejoin the adults milling around the rear patio. At least he had managed to find one common interest with the troubled youth and one was all it took to start building a relationship. Luckily, John was a patient man. He knew that David Starsky was not going to let down the walls he had built around his emotions that easily. John would have to work at winning his trust.

John found Al and told him about his plans to take David to the ballgame Saturday. Al nodded and said, "Good. I hope you can get through to him. I've tried everything I can think of. I've been having him help me at the garage after school. He's good with his hands and he likes tinkering with the cars." The older man sighed heavily "But, he's got his dad's temper and it doesn't take much to set him off…and, unfortunately, he uses his fists first and thinks about his actions later."

"Maybe I can use that," John said thoughtfully. "After I get him to trust me…teach him to box. It might help take the edge off some of that anger."

"I hope so…he's really a good kid…he's just all messed up right now with everything that's happened in the past couple of years."

"It's never easy to lose a father at that age."

"You know, Mike was gunned down right in front of him? He died in Davy's arms." Al said sadly.

"Oh, man…no wonder the kid's so messed up." John said compassionately. ,

"They were close, really close." Al continued "He never said a word for almost a week after Mike got shot. He went to the funeral, sat Shiva with the rest of the family, and never said a goddamn word."

John rested a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry. I'll do what I can…but he's gonna have to meet me half way. I can't help him unless he wants to be helped.

"I know. I just appreciate you doing this. I don't wanna see him getting into trouble here like he did back in New York."

"Has he made any friends since he's been here?"

"Just one…some boy that calls himself Huggy Bear. He's a young black boy about David's age. They met playing basketball." Al smiled "Davy always has been color blind when it comes to his friends."

"Have you met this kid?"

"Yeah, he seems like a nice enough kid. Polite, well mannered…already a real hustler."

John laughed good-naturedly. "Well, at least he has one friend. How are things going at school?"

Al's face darkened. "His grades are okay but he's having a hard time fitting in. He's been in a few fights because the other kids call him names or make fun of the way he talks."

"What about the girls? Does he have a girlfriend yet?"

"Not yet…" Al said with a grin "But, that boy definitely has his father's charm when it comes to the ladies."

"Okay, so…he likes ballgames, he likes tinkering with cars, and he's quick with his fists. Is there anything else I should know?"

"He's got a mouth on him and he trends to shoot it off without thinking sometimes. That's one of the biggest things that gets him into trouble."

John laughed. "Sounds like a typical teenager to me. What other kind of things does he like to do besides play ball and ticker with cars? He already made it real clear that he isn't interested in camping or fishing."

"He loves to eat. Sometimes I think that boy is a human garbage disposal…and he likes to read. He'll pretty much read anything he gets his hands on. And before he died, Mike was teaching him to build these real detailed model ships."

"Good, that gives me a place to start." John said "Now all I have to do is build on those interests."

"Ya know, the kid's got a good eye…maybe you could get him interested in photography." Al suggested. He knew that one of John's hobbies was photography. He had even filled in for the regular crime scene photographer when the guy had to take some time off after some minor surgery.

"Maybe," John said thoughtfully. "We'll see how it goes. I have a feeling it's gonna be a full time job just getting him to trust me."

Their conversation was cut short as John's wife, Maggie, joined them. Smiling at her husband fondly, she said, "We'd better go, dear. You have to work tonight, remember?"

"I know." He said with a warm smile at his wife. "Good to see you again, Al. Thanks for inviting us."

Rosie joined her husband as the Blaine's left the barbeque. The other guests were drifting away, returning to their own homes for the evening. Rosie slipped her arm around her husband's waist and said,

"Do you think John will be able to help David?"

"If anyone can help him, John will." Al said confidently. He glanced around the yard. "Where is David?"

"Inside. It's almost time for Rachel's phone call." Rosie told him. Rachel continued to call faithfully every Friday night at eight o'clock California time. Despite David's often hostile attitude or his continuing pleading to come home, the calls were a comforting ritual for both of them. It was David's connection with his home and his immediate family.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

David's fledgling friendship with Huggy grew by leaps and bounds. They discovered they had a lot in common. They both liked the old horror movies they showed on late night TV, they were both cocky and had an attitude, and they both had a volatile temper and it didn't take much to provoke them at times. David had met Huggy's mother, a warm, friendly woman named Ruth, who doted on her only son.

Having a black friend further alienated David from most of his peers. It was just one more thing that made the brunet different in their eyes. But, David didn't care. He genuinely liked Huggy and nobody was about to tell him who he could be friends with and who he couldn't. He had been in Bay City for almost four months and was beginning to realize that he wouldn't be going back home anytime soon. He was still homesick but, with Huggy's help, he was starting to adjust to his new home.

John Blaine was also becoming a constant in the teenager's life. It annoyed him sometimes to have Al and John both trying to act as surrogate fathers but, secretly, he craved the attention. He could be a handful but his attitude was slowly improving in all areas but one. His relationship with his mother was still strained. He was still angry at Rachel for sending him away. What he continued to view as her rejection and abandonment cut deeply. But, he had stopped begging her to let him come home making the weekly calls between mother and son more relaxed and less stressful for both of them.

Even his grades in school were improving. As an incentive, Al gave him five dollars for every grade he got on his report card above a C and John took him out the movies or to a ballgame whenever he did well on a test. They both preached the value of a good education so he could make something out of himself someday. Secretly, David had even started thinking about going to community college when he graduated from high school. Just taking a few classes at first to see how he did and if he liked it. He thought that he might like to do something in law enforcement like Pop and John when he grew up. He hadn't ruled out the Police Academy, although he knew that Rachel would have some objections to that as a career choice.

He didn't have a steady girlfriend yet but that didn't bother him. He liked not being tied down to one girl. It was less complicated that way. He'd already had sex for the first time shortly before leaving New York and was looking forward to having it again as soon as he could find a willing partner. Thanks to Huggy's sage advice, he started carrying a condom carefully tucked away inside his wallet for the occasion. He wasn't going to be careless and end up getting some girl pregnant. He didn't need a kid when he was still a kid himself.

David was lost in thought as he walked home from school and didn't notice the car load of boys that pulled up beside him until someone yelled, "Hey, nigger lover." As he turned his head to identify the boy who had yelled the hateful remark, something hard hit him in the back of the head and he fell to the street unconscious. The gang of boys immediately jumped out of the car and joined another boy who had been following the brunet without David noticing him. The boys began laughing and kicking the hapless teenager. Finally, a woman came out of a nearby house and yelled that she had called the police. The boys jumped back into their car and sped away, leaving the unconscious boy lying on the sidewalk with a bruised face and three broken ribs.

When David woke up in the hospital, he was confused and disoriented. At first he thought that he was back in New York after the rival gang had thrown him off the roof. It wasn't until he saw Al and Rosie at his side that he remembered he was in Bay City and not Brooklyn.

"Thank God, you're awake." Rosie said, showering her nephew's embarrassed face with kisses. "We were so worried when John called us."

"A witness got the license number of the boys who did this and they've all been picked up." Al said gruffly. "They're being charged with criminal assault."

"I think they were some kids from my school." David said "But, I didn't get a good look at their faces."

"That's all right, honey. Don't you worry about it." Rosie said "John took care of it. He said the boys admitted hurting you because of that boy you've been hanging out with…Huggy."

"Yeah," David said with a trace of anger in his voice. "One of them called me a nigger lover. That's when the other hit me from behind."

"Unfortunately, things like this happen when you have friends that are a different color." Al said "Especially, if they seem to be your only friend."

"I'm not going to stop being friends with Huggy because of those assholes." David muttered.

"David, your language!" Rosie scolded him. "Nobody is saying that you can't be friends with Huggy. You just need to be more careful, that's all."

"I will be. When can I go home?"

"The doctor said tomorrow. He wants to keep you overnight." Rosie said, as she smiled and reached out to brush an unruly curl out of his eyes.

"Huggy called as soon as he heard what happened." Al told him. "He feels bad about it and wanted you to know that he was sorry. I told him that you'd call him as soon as you got home."

"I still don't understand why my being friends with Huggy should matter one way or the other. It's my decision who I want to be friends with." David said somberly. "He's more of a friend than any of those jerks at my school have ever tried to be."

"I know but that's just the way things are. You know that." Al said. "Somebody is always going to be judging you for something…your friends, the way you wear your hair, your religion…you have to learn to be a bigger man and not let it bother you."

"You mean walk away, right?" David asked with a thin smile. "That's easier to say than to do."

"I know it is but it'll get easier as you get older." Al said, as he rumbled his nephew's tousled curls.

"Did it get easier for you?"

"Yes, it did. I learned not to care what other people thought or said about me and you will too."

"Guess that's another thing Huggy and I have in common, ya know?" he said thoughtfully. "He gets picked on because he's black and I get picked on because I'm Jewish. It's not fair. Those jerks that did this don't know either one of us."

"You're right, it's not fair. But, it is a fact of life." Al told him. "You will both always be different because of who you are. Huggy because of the color of his skin and you because of our heritage and religion. Neither one of you can change that, all you change is the way you react to the bigotry when it happens."

"Go to sleep, dear. We'll be back in the morning to get you." Rosie said, giving him a final kiss as they prepared to leave for the evening.

"Get some rest, Champ." Al said with a grin "You have a surprise waiting for you when you get home."

David smiled happily. He loved surprises and it wasn't even his birthday or Christmas. He wondered what his surprise was. He had gotten the bike he wanted for Christmas so he knew that it couldn't be that. After his aunt and uncle left, he turned off the light and wiggled around until he found a position that didn't make his ribs hurt so much.

When he got home the next day, he was overjoyed to find out that his surprise was an unexpected visit from his mother and Nicky. He hadn't seen them since he left New York and he immediately threw himself into his mother's welcoming embrace. Rosie told him that as soon as Al had called Rachel to tell her that he was in the hospital; she had immediately borrowed money from family members so she could fly to California. He got reacquainted with his little brother while Rachel helped Rosie fix some lunch. Before he was sent away, Nicky had idolized his big brother but the distance between them was slowly driving a wedge between them. At first, they found themselves acting more like casual acquaintances instead of blood relatives who had shared a room for almost nine years. But, before long, they were laughing and sharing pleasant memories of home.

Lunch was spent catching up with each other and sharing news of the various family members still back in New York. For the first time in months, David laughed and acted more like his old self. After eating, David and Nicky went outside to play toss while the adults gathered in the living room.

"Is he really okay?" Rachel asked as soon as the two boys were out of the room. Her concern was evident in her voice, even though she had been assured that David was going to be fine.

"He's going to be fine." Al reassured her. He knew that she was asking about more then his recent injuries from the unprovoked attack by the other boys. "You did the right thing by sending him out here."

"He's still angry with me." Rachel said sadly. "He thinks I sent him away because I don't love him anymore." Her voice was strained, her tears dangerously close to the surface.

"Down deep, he knows you still love him." Rosie told her "In time, he'll understand that you sent him here for his own good."

"You need to stop letting him make you feel guilty for doing the right thing." Al said gruffly. "He knows how to push your buttons and he's going to keep doing it as long as you let him."

"Al's right." Rosie agreed with her husband. "He's trying to wear you down so you'll let him come back home. You can't let him do that."

"It's just been so hard since Michael died." Rachel said, her tears finally starting to fall. "I had to go back to work so I wouldn't lose the house. Joe offered to help out but I couldn't let him do that. He did enough when he helped pay for the funeral and gave me the money to send David out here."

"I never did understand how Joe and Mike stayed friends all these years." Al said with a decisive snort. "Joe stood for everything Mike was against. Hell, he was already a petty thief when Mike met him."

"Mike used to say that Joe might be a gangland boss but he was still a good man underneath." Rachel said, smiling fondly through her tears. "He had a code of honor that most of the other criminals didn't care about."

"He still made his money illegally," Al said "He may not have had anything to do with drugs or prostitution but he was still as dirty as the rest of them. And he put more than his share of hits out on men that crossed him over the years."

"That's true." Rachel admitted. She sighed softly. "I think he felt guilty when Mike got killed. He tried to warn him that he shouldn't be nosing around trying to get something on Joey Scalene. He found out about the hit on Mike but couldn't get to him in time to stop it."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, he paid off whatever debt he felt he owed Mike when he helped you send David out here." Rosie said firmly. "I'm glad you're doing things on your own instead of taking any more money from him."

"At least Nicky is staying out of trouble." Rachel said "Nana Babette is watching him after school but she's getting old and I'm not sure how much longer she'll be able to keep doing it."

"How is Nicky handling David being gone?" Rosie asked.

"He seems to be handling it okay. He was awfully sad and lonely when David left but he seems to have adjusted." Rachel said. She smiled thinly. "Sometimes I think he just likes having a room to himself and not having his big brother there to boss him around anymore." She looked lost in thought for a moment and then added, "He didn't seem to take Mike's death as hard as David did either…but then, he wasn't there when Mike got shot. He didn't see it happen like David did."

"I'm sure that made a difference." Al said somberly. "But, Mike and Davy always were closer than Mike and Nicky. Don't get me wrong, I know Mike loved both of his sons, but he had something special with David that he just didn't have with Nicky."

"I know. They were so much alike and David looks more and more like his father everyday. Sometimes, it breaks my heart to look at him." Rachel said "It's like looking at Mike when he was that age."

Their conversation ended as the two boys came back into the house, laughing and teasing one another about who won their impromptu game. For the next three days, David stayed close to the house, spending as much time as he could with his mother but all too soon, it was time for Rachel and Nicky to return to New York.

"You be good now, ya hear?" Rachel told David as she gave him another careful hug, mindful of his injured ribs. "And call me every Friday at eight just like always."

"I will," David said, blinking back the tears that had gathered in his eyes at his mother's departure. "See ya." Once more, she was leaving him behind to return to a home that no longer included him. The old feelings of abandonment reared their ugly head. He gave his mother a final kiss and turned to head back to his room, the door shutting firmly behind him.

"He'll be all right," Al reassured his sister-in-law. "None of this has been easy for him."

"It hasn't been easy for me either." Rachel said, brushing a tear from her eye. "I wish I could take him back home with me but Nicky and I are barely getting by as it is."

"We'd better go. You don't want to miss your flight." Al said, cutting her off before she started feeling too guilty.

As her husband left to drive Rachel to the airport, Rosie walked back to David's room to make sure he was all right. She started to knock on the door until she heard the muffled sobs coming from inside the room. Turning around, she walked back into the kitchen to make some sweet tea. David needed to be alone right now. She had to respect that and his need for privacy at times like this.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

David laughed as he took a hit off the marijuana cigarette being passed from one boy to the next, followed by the bottle of whiskey making the rounds. The party had been going on for hours and he was pleasantly stoned and more than a little drunk. It had been a struggle since he had moved to Bay City, trying to adjust to his new life and find a way to fit in with his peers. Huggy Bear had helped him to learn the ways of the streets in his new environment and John Blaine had encouraged him to let down the walls he had built around his emotions and start to trust the adults in his life again.

But, it had been his natural athletic abilities that had helped him gain the acceptance he craved with the kids his own age. Even though he wasn't as big or as muscular as some of the other boys on the football team, his agility and speed had made him an asset to the team. They had just won the state championship, thanks to his last minute touchdown and this party was their private celebration.

At sixteen, David had grown into a cocky, handsome teenager with a crooked grin and a lean, muscular build. Just under six feet tall, he was no longer picked on for being short and skinny. He still had a reputation for using his fists when provoked and having a quick, volatile temper. But, as he matured, he had learned to temper his anger and to work off his aggressions in a more acceptable manner.

"Hey, champ…" Billy Lucas, a senior who was the team's quarterback, said as he finished off the bottle and staggered to his feet. "It's time for a beer run. You wanna come?"

"Sure," David said with a crooked grin as he stumbled to his feet. He followed Billy to a silver Jaguar that his parents had given him as an early graduation present. David had just gotten his own driver's license and was looking forward to the day when he had enough money saved up to buy a car of his own.

"You wanna drive?" Billy asked, noting David's open admiration of his car.

"Do you mean it?" David asked in a surprised voice, trying to appear nonchalant and keep his excitement at bay.

"Sure, you got a license, don't ya?" Billy said, tossing the brunet the keys. David deftly caught the keys in his left hand and darted around to the driver's side, sliding underneath the wheel with a pleased grin. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of real leather seats. _Someday, I'm gonna have myself a nice ride like this…only mine's gonna be red._

Billy settled in on the passengers side and watched as David turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life. The brunet stomped down on the accelerator, making the rear tires squeal as he pulled onto the pavement. The car shot forward, rapidly picking up speed until they were traveling sixty miles an hour. David drove as if he were born behind the wheel, handing the low slung sports car with ease.

He braked, slowing down to a more moderate speed, as they approached the busier streets of the city. During the brief drive from the empty lot where they had been partying, Billy had lit another marijuana cigarette and the pungent odor of the smoke filled the interior of the car. Neither boy noticed the police cruiser following them until it was too late.

"Shit!" Billy exclaimed when the flashing red lights came on followed by a short blast of the siren. He immediately cranked open the window far enough to toss out the incriminating cigarette. "Just play it cool!" he said nervously as David tapped the breaks and pulled over to the curb.

"Oh, man…" David muttered under his breath as he thought about facing his uncle and John Blaine. "I am so fucked…"

"You?" Billy hissed "My dad'll take away my car for letting you drive."

David threw his companion a dirty look but kept his thoughts to himself as a uniformed officer cautiously approached the driver's side of the car. Like most of the other boys at his school, Billy was just another spoiled rich kid who didn't care about anyone but himself. His daddy's money would bail him out of whatever trouble he got in. David snorted. He knew he wouldn't get off so easy.

He turned his attention to the officer tapping on the glass beside him. Sighing in resignation, he rolled down the window. He knew from the officer's expression, that he could smell the marijuana smoke that still lingered inside the car.

"You were driving pretty fast, son." The officer said, as he waved his flashlight into the interior of the vehicle. "You boy's been drinking tonight?"

"Yes, sir," David said, knowing that there was no way he could lie out of it. The best thing to do was admit his guilt and face the consequences. He had been warned enough times by both John and Al not to drink and drive. He'd be lucky if he ever got to drive again until he was an adult.

"How old are you, son?" The cop questioned. His voice was stern but cordial.

"Sixteen."

"Is this your car?"

"No, it's mine." Billy spoke up. "I'm Billy Lucas. My father is Howard Lucas. He's the senior partner at Lucas, Cromwell and Bennings." The cop snorted, obviously not impressed by who Billy's father was. He turned his attention to David. "What's your name, son?"

"Starsky. David Starsky."

"I need to see you boys' driver's licenses and the registration for the car."

Solemnly, they both dug their wallets out of their jeans and pulled out their ID's. They handed them to the officer, along with the registration for the Jag. The man wrote down their information on his ticket pad and then looked at the two boys gravely.

"I'm afraid you boys are going to have to come with me. I'll have someone pick up the car. Your father can pick it up in the morning." He waited patiently while the teenagers climbed out of the car and meekly followed him back to the black and white cruiser. He opened the back door and ushered the two boys into the car, closing the door securely behind them.

David turned his head to stare out of the window as the officer headed for police headquarters. The bright lights of the city seemed to mock him for his impulsive, irresponsible behavior. He had been so desperate to fit in with the rest of the boys on the team that he had slipped back into some of his old, self-destructive behavior. Mentally, he ran down the list of charges he knew he was facing: underage drinking, driving while intoxicated, smoking pot, possession of an illegal substance, speeding and probably reckless operation. That was if he was lucky and the cop didn't decide to tack on any additional charges.

When they reached the station, the two boys were separated while the officer went to call their legal guardians to come and get them. As he waited, David noted that this precinct wasn't that different from the ones back in New York, just a newer building with a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

David had slowly adjusted to the major changes in his life, along with the culture shock of moving from one coast to the other. It had not been easy but John, Al and Rosie had all been supportive and been there for him when he needed them the most. His relationship with his mother was still a little strained because he still harbored a deep resentment towards her for sending him away from the only home he had ever know to start over in a strange place. At times, he still felt that she had abandoned him and rejected him but John was slowly helping him understand that she had done what she honestly believed was best for him. She had made the greatest sacrifice that a mother could ever make for her child. She had sent him away so that he could have a chance at a better life. And now, he had ruined everything by being stupid.

"David Starsky!" a uniformed officer called out. Startled at hearing his name, he looked up, relief flooding his face when he saw John Blaine walking towards him. Rising to his feet, he pasted a smile on his face and said, "Hey, John."

"Save it, mister." John said gruffly in his stern cop's voice, "You're in big trouble."

"How big?" David asked, the smile fading from his face.

"Let's just say that you'll be lucky if Al ever lets you out of the house again before you turn twenty-one." John said, taking his arm and leading him out of the police station. His grip was firm but gentle as they walked to his car. He waited until they were safely inside the vehicle before turning to David and demanding, "What the hell were you thinking? You know better that to do something so stupid!"

"We were celebrating winning the state championship." David said defensively. "Al said I could go to the party after the game."

"He also thought he could trust you not to be drinking and smoking pot!" John pointed out. "Not to mention getting behind the wheel of a car and driving in that condition!"

He looked at John beseechingly "Can't you take care of it? Fix it?"

"I'm not one of your father's buddies back in New York who let you get away with your little crime spree back there without doing anything about it." John declared "This time, you're going to have to face up to your actions and take your punishment like a man."

"It was just a couple of beers." David said with a pout as he folded his arms across his chest and kicked the toe of his tennis shoe against the floorboard. He wasn't about to admit to drinking anything stronger. He knew he was in enough trouble as it was.

"And you are still underage!" John snapped in an irritated voice as he tossed a glare in the brunet's direction. "Haven't you learned anything about being responsible?"

"Yeah, you and Al remind me about that all the time." David said sullenly. He had never liked being lectured too, especially when he knew that he deserved it.

"Apparently not enough for it to sink into that thick skull of yours." John said gruffly as he pulled up in front of the Starsky home. He looked at David and said in a quiet voice, "I'm disappointed in you, son. I guess we can't trust you as much as we thought we could."

"I'm sorry," David said, hanging his head in shame. Knowing that he had disappointed the one man he honestly trusted in Bay City hurt more than the thought of the punishment Al probably had in store for him.

"I'm sure you are…now that you got caught. You'd better go inside. Al's waiting for you." John watched as David slowly opened the door and walked across the lawn towards the house to face his uncle's wrath on his own. Despite this little setback, he still had high hopes for David's future. He would learn from this mistake and the lesson would be a hard one but a well deserved one.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9 **

Al was waiting in the living room when David went into the house. One look at his uncle's angry face and he knew to keep his mouth shut. Without a word, Al nodded his head towards the basement door. With heavy steps, David crossed the room and opened the door, trudging down the steps with his uncle following.

"Drop 'em and turn around." Al ordered gruffly, his voice trembling with barely suppressed anger.

Silently, his face flushing with shame and embarrassment, David unbuckled his belt and shoved his jeans down around his knees. Turning around, he braced his hands against the washer and leaned forward. Al hadn't whipped him with a belt in almost two years. Bracing himself for the first swat, he hissed sharply when the leather whistled thru the air and cracked against his ass. The fiery pain spread across his ass and down the back of his thighs, the thin material of his boxers offering no protection from the thick leather strap.

After six swats, his ass felt like the skin had been flayed off and David bit back a cry of pain. After ten swats, he was whimpering and begging his uncle to stop. But, Al was determined to teach his young charge a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. He gave David ten more swats before finally stopping.

David's knees felt weak and his hands were shaking as he fumbled to pull up his jeans. He kept his head bowed, ashamed to look into his uncle's eyes. Al's voice sounded strained when he said, "Go to your room. You're grounded until you go to court. No privileges. No television, no phone calls, no after school activities and no more football team . You'll come straight home from school and go right to your room. Is that understood?"

David nodded mutely and turned his back on his uncle to climb up the steps to the first floor. He held his tears in check until he was safely in his room, then he collapsed across the bed on his stomach and sobbed quietly. He finally cried himself to sleep.

When he opened his eyes the next morning, the sun was streaming through his bedroom window. Glancing at the clock on his nightstand, he saw that it was after nine in the morning. Apparently, he wasn't going to school today. Slowly, he eased himself off the bed, wincing at the pain in his ass and the back of his thighs. Grabbing some clean clothes, he left his room and walked down the hall to the bathroom.

Closing the door behind him, he reached into the shower stall and turned on the spray, adjusting the water to a comfortable temperature. His thoughts were interrupted by a light tap on the closed door.

"Yeah?" he said quietly.

The door opened and Al stepped into the bathroom. He looked at his nephew sadly and said, "How are you feeling, son?"

"Okay." David said in a guarded voice, refusing to look his uncle in the eyes.

Al stepped forward and surprised David by cupping his face in his rough, calloused hands and forcing the teenager to look at him. He was surprised to see the tears glistening in his uncle's blue eyes. In a chocked voice, Al said,

"I'm sorry, David. I got a little carried away last night. Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive." David said, forcing the words out past the lump in his throat, "I deserved it. I let you down."

"That still gave me no right to whip you like that. There's some medicine in the cabinet that should help." Al lowered his hands and said, "I was just so worried and scared when John called me after you got picked up last night. I kept thinking about what could have happened." He took a deep breath and added, "But, that's still no excuse and I'm sorry. The rest of your punishment still stands, but I swear, I will never whip you again as long as you live under this roof. You'll stay home from school today and I expect you to call your mother and tell her what happened." With those parting words, Al turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

David stood there for a moment, then slowly stripped off his clothes. There was a full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door that allowed him to look over his shoulder to see the image of his backside. His butt and the upper part of his thighs was stripped with angry looking red welts and a couple of bruises. Sitting would definitely be painful for a few days.

David took his shower and then dressed in a tee shirt and a soft, comfortable pair of sweat pants, minus underwear. Al had already left for work when he wandered into the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal for his breakfast. There was a note on the kitchen table from Rosie. It said that she had gone to the grocery store and to run some other errands. She reminded him to call his mother and then to go to his room for the rest of the day.

David sighed heavily. He was not looking forward to making the phone call to New York.

He ate his food slowly, trying to postpone the inevitable as long as possible. Finally, he couldn't postpone it any longer. Rinsing out his bowl and his glass, he left them in the sink and went into the living room to call his mother. Rachel answered almost immediately, alarmed when she heard her son's voice.

"Davi," she said, using her pet name for her eldest child. "Are you all right? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I'm okay, Ma." David said, cutting off her questions before she got even more alarmed. "But, something did happen that I need to tell you about. I got picked up last night for drinking and driving. I have to go to court in three weeks."

"Oh, David…" she said, her voice expressing her displeasure. "How could you do something like that? Do you realize what could have happened?"

"Yeah, Ma…I know. It was a stupid thing to do and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. But, nothing happened. Nobody got hurt or nothing."

"That's no excuse, David and you know it." Rachel said, the disappointment clear in her voice. "What would your father think if he were here?"

"I'm sorry, Ma." David said meekly, irritated by her reference to his father. Disappointing his mother was bad enough but the thought of how disappointed his father would have been was even worse. Back in New York, his father's friends on the police force had said the same thing to him when they busted him for his relatively minor offenses. Then they had smiled and gave him a stern warning before letting him go. Now, he realized that they hadn't done him any favors. His father had always instilled a strong sense of what was right and what was wrong in his oldest son. David had lost sight of that for awhile and now it was time to face the consequences of his actions. He had made more than a few bad decisions and choices since his father's murder but this was by far the worst.

"I assume that Al made sure that you'll think twice before doing something like that again." Rachel said somberly.

"Oh, yeah," David said ruefully, absently rubbing his sore behind. "He made real sure of that."

"Good. Then I won't bother lecturing you any further."

Mother and son spoke a few minutes longer before David told her goodbye and hung up. Grabbing some cookies and chips as snacks for later, he went to his room. He spent most of the day reading and dozing on the bed. It didn't take long for him to get bored with the forced inactivity. It was going to be a very long three weeks.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

David stood in front of the Juvenile Court judge and tried not to show how nervous and scared he really was. He had officially been charged with driving while intoxicated, underage drinking, reckless operation and speeding. The judge was a stern white haired man with thin wire rimmed glasses. He had already told David that he could be sentenced to a juvenile detention center until he turned twenty-one, put on probation for an indefinite period of time and have his driver's license suspended until he turned eighteen.

He peered at David over the edge of his glasses and said gruffly, "David Michael Starsky, you have been informed of your legal rights and the possible sentences that this court could give you for the offenses you have committed.

I am sure that you are well aware that the situation could have been worse and the charges a lot more serious if you had lost control of the vehicle you were driving and caused an accident. Underage drinking is a serious offense, made even more serious by driving while under the influence. I've reviewed your previous juvenile record from New York City and I see that this is not your first felony offense.

However, Detective Blaine from the Bay City Police Department has put in a good word for you and has personally vouched for your good behavior in the past and your attempts to better yourself since you came to live in our fair city." The judge paused for dramatic effect and fixed David with a stern glare. "Therefore, it is the decision of this court to revoke your driver's license until your eighteenth birthday and put you on probation for not less that one year. If you appear before this court again for any offense within the next two years, you will be sent to a juvenile detention center until your twenty-first birthday. Detective Blaine has personally volunteered to supervise your probation and I have no doubt that he will be able to keep you in line, young man. For your sake, let's hope so."

"Thank you, sir." David said politely as he heaved heartfelt a sigh of relief. He turned his head and gave John Blaine a grateful smile as the judge stood up and left the courtroom. Straightening his shoulders, David joined John, his aunt and his uncle at the rear of the room.

"Let's go home." Al said, slipping a supportive arm around his nephew's shoulders. "John, would you like to join us for lunch?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass." John said "I have to get back to work." He turned to David "David, I'll pick you up after school. We have some things to talk about."

"Yes, sir." David said politely, as he left the courtroom with the three most trusted and respected adults in his life. He had gotten off lucky and he knew it. John had gone out on a limb for him and David vowed that he wouldn't do anything to make his mentor regret it.

After his day in court, David worked hard to get his life back on track. His grades in school improved dramatically and he began to think about his options after graduation. He thought about going to community college to see how he liked it. He had decided that he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement, a decision that he knew his mother would not be happy with. His father's influence on his early life had left a strong impression on him and John Blaine had helped to strengthen his resolve to become a cop. He wanted to make the two most influential men in his life proud of him and what better way to do that then by following in their footsteps? It had been a long, hard road from his pre-teen years until now but those formative years had shaped the character of the man he would become someday. He had entered the courtroom that day a scared teenager and left it a wiser, more mature young man on his way to adulthood. The future lay ahead of him, his for the taking. It was up to him what he made of it.

THE END


End file.
